Battle of the Heart
by lunarchroniclesandcockatiels
Summary: The duel on Mustafar, from Obi-Wan's point of view. Non-slash. T for violence.


**A/N: I have been meaning to write this for a long time.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not Own Star Warso**

He was not fighting his brother.

No, he wasn't fighting Anakin, the man he had raised from a small boy, while he was barely an adult himself.

The man who killed children, and called it "bringing peace. The man who didn't mind using the force to choke his own wife.

* * *

No, he was back in the creche, using two sticks to mimick a lightsaber fight with another youngling who was pretending to be a Sith Lord.

"I'm going to kill you!" the other youngling, whom he vaguely remembered as being Quinlan Vos, announced. Quinlan swung the stick at his head - _hard_ \- and the next thing he remembered before waking up in the infirmary was darkness. Complete and total darkness, but with a tiny pinprick of light.

Sort of like Anakin's force presence now.

* * *

He was back with the other younglings of his year, training with Master Yoda, using practice lightsabers.

"Now close your eyes, younglings, and feel the force around you,"

Obi-Wan raised the hand that wasn't holding the lightsaber.

"Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"When do we get to fight some real _actual_ Sith Lords?"

Why had he been so eager? It would have been different, he supposed, if he had known his padawan was going to be one.

* * *

He was a padawan learner now, training with Qui-Gon, using a real lightsaber, but on the lowest setting.

"Now, remember to defend yourself, even if you're on the offense, Obi-Wan," he pointed his lightsaber at his apprentice's neck. "See? If this was a real duel, I could have killed you,"

"I'll remember next time, Master." And he did.

Hadn't Obi-Wan taught Anakin the same way that Qui-Gon had taught himself, so many years ago? What had gone wrong?

* * *

Obi-Wan was fighting with Siri, in the arena. He had lost the first duel, and Siri was about to win the second.

But something changed in him. He thought of his anger, his hatred towards Siri, who was smirking at him. He used his emotions to fight.

And the next thing he knew, Siri was on the ground, the lightsaber at her neck, looking scared and surprised. The masters were running over, and then he was standing in front of the Jedi Council, twelve Jedi Masters looking down at a small padawan of thirteen, trying to explain what had happened.

Later, he was back in the shared Master/Padawan room, Qui-Gon lecturing him about the Dark Side.

Hadn't he, Obi-Wan Kenobi, warned his own apprentice of the Dark Side? Hadn't he taken the time to always answer Anakin's questions, and speak to him of his concerns?

* * *

"I, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, take Anakin Skywalker as my Padawan Learner," he said, rubbing the spot on his head where the padawan braid had been only minutes ago. The young boy next to him smiled.

What would have been if he had refused to take Anakin as his padawan, refused to train him? Would the Sith Lord have been able to rise to power?

Was everything truly his fault?

* * *

"I have failed you, Anakin," he said attemping to catch his breath. "I have failed you."

And it was true. He really had failed the young boy, in so many ways.

"I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over," the former Jedi cried, still brandishing his lightsaber.

"Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!" he tried, knowing that Anakin wasn't going to listen. He never did.

"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!" Anakin yelled, daring to look him straight in the eye.

"Well, then you are truly lost!" Obi-Wan shouted in reply. If there was any doubt left, it was gone now.

* * *

Anakin was a slave until the age of nine, when Qui-Gon rescued him. He often had nightmares, about returning to Tatooine, and being enslaved again.

In a way, those nightmares had come true.

Anakin was a slave of the Dark Side of the Force.

* * *

"This is the end for you, my master," Anakin said, using the Force to flip to the other side of Obi-Wan. He struck his lightsaber a few more times against his master's, but Obi-Wan managed to flip off the platform and onto land.

"It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground," Any attempts his wayward apprentice made now would be futile.

"You underestimate my power," Anakin said, glaring at him.

"Don't try it," Obi-Wan warned, knowing what Anakin was about to attempt. Was it wrong that he didn't want to hurt his apprentice, even now?

Anakin flipped off the platform, using the Force.

Obi-Wan saw it coming. He knew what he had to do. Readying himself, he sliced off Anakin's three remaining limbs as the young man came down.

Anakin groaned, and through their Master/Padawan bond, Obi-Wan could feel his apprentice's pain. Just a bit, really, but enough to let him know how much pain Anakin was really in.

* * *

He remembered back to a different lightsaber fight with Anakin, this one a mock duel.

"Master?" the thirteen year old padawan asked. "Are we going to take a break soon?"

By that point, sweat was dripping down both of their faces, and Anakin was breathing heavy.

"Do you expect a Sith Lord to let you take a break, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, gritting his teeth as he tried to block Anakin with that stupid practice-saber.

"Well, _no_ ," Anakin admitted, his practice-saber at Obi-Wan's neck. He grinned. "I won!"

"Was all that a distraction?"

"Maybe,"

* * *

Anakin slipped down the side of the hill, trying to grab at something - _anything_ \- with his robotic arm.

"You were the chosen one!" Obi-Wan screamed, not knowing if Anakin could even hear him, his pain might be too intense. "It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them!"

The tears were freely running down his cheeks now, and he didn't even care. So what if anyone saw him?

Anakin watched him, gritting his teeth.

"Bring balance to the Force," he continued, shaking his head while silently crying. "not leave it in darkness!"

Obi-Wan saw Anakin's lightsaber on the ground. He remembered the words he had said when Anakin first made it, the words every master told their padawan: _This weapon is your life. Don't lose it._

He picked it up, thinking about those words.

* * *

"I hate you!" Anakin screamed, his eyes completely yellow now, like a real Sith's.

"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you!" Hadn't Anakin once said that Obi-Wan was the closest thing he had to a father? How could he say that he hated him now?

Suddenly, the lava from the river down below reached the ever-falling Anakin, and he caught on fire.

Obi-Wan could only stand and listen to his apprentice's screams, as Anakin's presence in the Force became weaker, as his padawan died. He could only watch the fire cover Anakin's body.

Why didn't he save him? Maybe he was wrong. Maybe there was still some good left in Anakin Skywalker.

But could he take that chance?

 _I'm sorry, Anakin,_ he whispered through their Force Bond, before it was severed.

Obi-Wan turned and left.


End file.
